Secunderabad Railway Station violence: GRP identify 56 accused; arrest 45

Hyderabad: Government Railway Police (GRP) have identified 56 people who were allegedly involved in the violence and arson at Secunderabad Railway Station on Friday. Around 45 were remanded to judicial custody, and 11 are absconding. All 56 were listed as army job aspirants. In the remand report, GRP concluded that the violence was pre-planned.

Railway Police have identified the key accused as Madhusudhan, 20. He hails from Yellareddy in the Kamareddy district.

Police stated that some private coaching institutes instigated army job aspirants, to violence. WhatsApp groups were created to incite the youth and mobilize them, taking inspiration from the violence that had occurred at railway stations in Bihar over the same issue.

According to police, about 2,000 protestors entered through gate number three. Some of them were armed with sticks and petrol bottles. They reached the platforms and resorted to stone-pelting and damaged a few train coaches.

Protestors set afire four coaches of three trains. They tried to set afire two locomotives which had huge quantities of fuel. As they did not heed to the warnings to disperse, Railway Protection Force (RPF) opened fire. One person was killed and 12 injured in the firing.

Meanwhile, police have reportedly picked up five persons who were administrators of the WhatsApp groups. Through these groups, the youth were given directions on where and when to reach for the protest.

In a related development, intelligence agencies on Monday conducted searches at Sai Defence Academy in Andhra Pradesh. Sleuths of the AP central intelligence conducted searches at the Academy's branch in Narasaraopet in the Planadu district. They questioned Director A. Subba Rao, an ex-serviceman who has already been detained by the police for questioning for his alleged role in Secunderabad violence.

Meanwhile, the parents of the youths arrested by the Railway Police made a beeline to Chanchalguda Central Prison in Hyderabad to meet them. Some of them were seen crying after meeting their children. They claimed that their children are innocent. They said they did not know that they would be going to Secunderabad station for protest.

Parents of the arrested youth said there should be a thorough investigation to find out the real culprits.